


kiss me (or not)

by someawkwardprose



Series: Gifts [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Asexual Peter Parker, Asexual Tony Stark, Asexuality, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Mentions of alcohol, Team as Family, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony's Friends Have His Back, You're Never Too Old To Learn Shit About Yourself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 21:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9024082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/someawkwardprose/pseuds/someawkwardprose
Summary: Tony doesn't understand what's so good about kissing. 
It's okay. He doesn't need to. 
It just takes him a while to realize that.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SheWhoWillRise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWhoWillRise/gifts).



> so this is technically a gift for my internet kid because they gifted me with some beautiful rhodeytony. if I'm honest this is totally self-indulgent and I refuse to be ashamed of that. I'm ace and so is my son (and my grandson)
> 
> pretty much all of Tony's feeling's and thoughts echo what I was thinking before I realised I was ace, but everyone is different.
> 
> all spellings are British, but if you see any glaring mistakes that are just nonsense, feel free to yell at me.

Carol and Rhodey are kissing, and Tony is getting more and more uncomfortable as it progresses. Sure, he appreciates that they haven't seen each other in a long time - six months of being continents apart - but he doesn't understand why they just can't wait until they're home. Far away from Tony. 

“Uh, guys?” Tony tries, shifting uncomfortably. “This is a bit uh, public, don't you think?”

Finally they break apart and Carol flushes, while Rhodey wraps an arm over her shoulders. The pair laugh and Tony grins and the discomfort of the moment is forgotten.

* * *

 

Pepper and he kiss, once. On the rooftop, standing over the ruins of the Expo. Tony's done it before, a million times, and this is in no way different. Wet and gross. He doesn't know why people enjoy it. Tony still pouts when she ends it.  

Pepper smiles sadly at him, shaking her head.

“Tony, I love you,” She says. “But I can't be with you until you understand what you need from a relationship.”

That night, Rhodey and him share a six pack and his best friend lets him cry on his shoulder. He doesn't understand Pepper’s words yet, but he thinks it's for the best anyway.

* * *

 

The Avengers are nice enough, he thinks. They stay in the Tower after hard battles and eat food and watch movies.

Bruce though, Bruce is cool. He says he speaks science, but really, what Tony means is that Bruce speaks Tony, the same way that Pepper and Rhodey and Carol do. 

After spending long nights in the lab, Bruce makes Tony go to bed. He listens to Tony's inane chatter and gives him real answers - that equation needs tweaking, or that might be dangerous, what precautions are you putting into place? He cooks Tony the best curry and Tony builds him the best stuff and they become the science bros.

He never tries to kiss Bruce - because Bruce isn't like Pepper - but he thinks he loves him just as much.

Then Natalie/Natasha/whatever the hell she goes by now corners him one day.

“Are you fucking Banner?” She demands, and Tony laughs because that's preposterous. What Bruce and Tony have is too important for that kind of stuff. They both dedicate all their desire for science.

“Don't worry, he's all yours, Romanov.” Tony gives her his press smile and goes down to the workshop.

He hadn't realised she'd take that literally. Or that a few weeks later, they'd both lose Bruce.

* * *

 

His baby cousin Sharon calls him after the mess that was the Accords. She kissed Steve. She's sorry. 

Tony tells her not to be.

When ‘team cap’ are back on home soil, Tony makes himself scarce, and let's Sharon go in his place. Sharon kisses Steve again, after punching him.

Rhodey tells her off, for sleeping with the enemy, but they laugh and put their feet up on the glass coffee table and watch Doctor Who as Sharon runs her nails over Tony's scalp.

Tony doesn't get why people like kissing over this.

* * *

 

Peter is wearing...an odd combination of a black beanie, a grey top, white jeans and purple converse. Tony is confused. 

“It's asexual visibility week,” He says, smiling. “So I'm making myself visible.”

Tony has no idea what asexual means, but he wants to support Peter. He asks FRIDAY to look it up.

“Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to anyone, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity, Boss.” She tells him. “It may be considered the lack of a sexual orientation, or one of the variations thereof, alongside heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality.”

Tony is floored. He asks FRIDAY to get him more information, as he curls up under the duvet on his bed and stares at the tablet, absorbing.

Then he calls Rhodey.

“I'm not weird,” He says, without preamble. “There are other people like me.”

Rhodey sounds worried as he lets himself into Tony's room. Tony points at the tablet, and he watches as Rhodey takes in what he's reading.

“You're ace?” Rhodey says, looking upset. “God Tones, shit, did you even get what you were consenting to?”

They talk some more, and maybe they both cry, and maybe Carol brings up an eight pack and joins them, with Pepper in tow, and they laugh when Rhodey threatens to go back in time and punch Howard. Pepper smiles and scratches his scalp and Tony stretches like a contented cat as Carol orders pizza and Rhodey argues about toppings.

“I'm glad you worked it out, Tony.” She says, and Tony thinks back to the rooftop and realises he never needed to kiss her. He smiles at her and she smiles back. They've both long since moved on and know there's no point in trying again, but now Tony knows, and maybe, maybe he'll meet someone else.

* * *

 

It's Peter’s turn to look confused as Tony smiles. Tony's got a tie with the ace flag on it and a pin that FRIDAY had rendered, bless her circuits.

“What?” He asks. “I'm being visible!” 

Peter’s face morphs from bewilderment, to understanding, and finally excitement.

The hug the teen gifts him with is awkward, but the smile on his face makes it worth it.

 


End file.
